Kristen Kulinowski

Faculty Fellow in the Department of ChemistryRice University Director for External AffairsCenter for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN)

Dr. Kulinowski is a Faculty Fellow in the Department of Chemistry at Rice University and Director for External Affairs for the Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN). She currently serves as the Director of the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON), an international, multi-stakeholder organization whose mission is to develop and communicate information regarding potential environmental and health risks of nanotechnology thereby fostering risk reduction while maximizing societal benefit. She has experience as a chemical researcher, educator, curriculum developer, administrator, outreach coordinator and policy fellow.

Since 2004, Dr. Kulinowski has been actively engaged in developing and promoting the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) which provides a neutral forum in which experts from academia, governments, industry and nonprofit organizations can explore questions of nanotechnology¿s impact on environment, health and safety (EHS). She directed an effort that resulted in the web publication of the first publicly available database of citations to peer-reviewed papers on nano EHS. Other activities of ICON include a survey of best practices for nanomaterial handling in the workplace and a public portal of information on nanotechnology EHS.

Dr. Kulinowski has extensive experience in science education, particularly in developing innovative curricula at the undergraduate level, and developed Rice¿s first introductory undergraduate course on nanotechnology. From 2002-2004 Dr. Kulinowski served as CBEN Executive Director for Education, developing and managing an educational outreach portfolio of programs for audiences that range from middle school children to adults. During this time the center established itself as a national leader in nanotechnology educational outreach.

Prior to joining CBEN, she was a lecturer in chemistry at Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo) for three years and came to Rice as an instructor in chemistry in 1998. In 2001 she was selected by the Optical Society of America and SPIE-The International Society for Optical Engineering as their Congressional Science Fellow and worked in the D.C. office of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives on issues including weapons of mass destruction, anti-terrorism legislation and domestic nuclear power security. She was instrumental in shepherding through new legislation on the stockpiling of potassium iodide near nuclear power plants. As a longtime volunteer with American Red Cross Disaster Relief Services, Dr. Kulinowski brought food and water to rescue workers at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Dr. Kulinowski is highly sought after as a speaker and has given invited talks on issues of nanotechnology environmental health and safety and science policy throughout the US, Europe and the Middle East. She has consulted with governments and governmental advisory bodies regarding responsible nanotechnology, and serves as chair of the ASTM International Subcommittee E56.03 on Environment, Health and Safety. Dr. Kulinowski earned a B.S. in chemistry at Canisius College and her M.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Rochester.